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Front Page » Government » City targets Watson Island land for future monetization

City targets Watson Island land for future monetization

Written by on January 16, 2018
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City targets Watson Island land for future monetization

A request by the Miami Children’s Museum for more city-owned land on Watson Island so it can expand has met with some skepticism and opposition.

The museum is asking for 26,599 more square feet on its southwest side to expand program space and provide a new entrance.

The city commission would have to approve the land transfer, and the matter might end up on a ballot for residents to decide.

This revisiting of the museum’s agreement with the city has led some commissioners to reexamine uses that prior city leaders allowed to gain a foothold on what is arguably the city’s most valuable real estate – and what different uses might bring the city fresh revenue.

Newly-elected Joe Carollo suggested a new restaurant could succeed on the island. “We need to start looking for revenue streams,” he said.

Newly-elected Manolo Reyes agreed with Mr. Carollo and said the city isn’t getting as much revenue as it should from the barrier island, which it owns. Portions fall under control of the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority (MSEA), which is appointed by and answers to the city commission.

When the matter first came up in September, commissioners considered a resolution urging the city manager to take all steps necessary to amend the agreement between the city and the authority and the sublease agreement between the authority and the museum in order to transfer the 26,599 square feet to the museum.

That resolution was deferred and amended to direct the city manager to review the agreement between the city and the authority and the sublease agreement between MSEA and the non-profit museum in order to consider whether the city should transfer the requested land.

If approved, the resolution would have required the city manager to return to the commission with an action plan for the property transfer.

In the end, no vote was taken but commissioners did direct manager Emilio González to examine the museum lease and all related matters, and a separate request from the museum to clean up an adjacent trashed lawn area and maintain it as a park.

Regarding the museum’s request for more land, Mr. Carollo said, “We’re not doing ourselves any good by giving away a half-acre … for free.”

Later he returned to that theme, saying the city has enormous financial responsibilities and “we can no longer give prime property away.”

Commission Chairman Keon Hardemon agreed the island is ripe for other money-making ventures, saying, “We have to create some revenue.”

Later, Mr. Hardemon said, “I want to look at other ways to monetize that space.”

Complicating a view of the island’s future are several ‘what if’ clouds looming, including planned improvements to Jungle Island that include a hotel, and redevelopment of a seaplane and heliport business.

The biggest unknown with potentially the largest impact is the final result of a multi-million-dollar lawsuit that Flagstone Island Gardens LLC filed against the city after the commission found the developer in default of a ground lease of island property, determining little to none of the upland portion of a planned mixed-use mega resort had been built. A deep harbor marina was completed in 2016.

2 Responses to City targets Watson Island land for future monetization

  1. DC Copeland

    January 17, 2018 at 8:22 am

    Why not combine the redevelopment of the seaplane base with a restaurant? My choice is the DawnTown architecture competition entry that envisioned a new seaplane base that included an underwater view of the planes arriving and departing
    the proposed base: http://bit.ly/2rfratF

  2. Tamme Flood

    January 18, 2018 at 11:49 am

    It is so interesting that the Commission is just now looking for “money making ventures”. It allowed prime land to remain fallow for almost 20 years (Flagstone). It then allowed Jungle Island’s previous owner Bern Levine to be bought out by new developers without paying ALL the monies owed to the City/County/State. It almost allowed Jungle Island to “expand its leasehold footprint” right over a viable Miami Yacht Club Youth Sailing program/Japanese Garden/Boat Ramp – until the community was informed and that idea died. It almost gave it to developer Jorge Perez/Related until a lawsuit was filed regarding a traffic study. This PUBLIC LAND was deeded to the citizens of Miami. Put the parking lots back in and return it to a park…charging 4.00 per car like the other parks do…and allow all of us to enjoy one of the last open pieces of waterfront land not given to developers. We do not need any more bottleneck traffic across our causeways. The semi-trucks coming out of the tunnel now provide enough of this in westbound traffic. Allow the citizens of this county some quality of life improvements…starting with the waterfront.

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